Knife sharpeners aren't the most obvious thing to get excited about, but the Chantry knife sharpener has a great heritage which includes the version pictured, known as the retro model. The art deco looking object replicates how the sharpener looked when it was introduced in 1940 by the Sheffield firm Harrison Fisher. It comes in chrome or white and to sharpen a knife, you would simply run it between the steels a couple of times. 

The Chantry has been through various incarnations since the Forties. The 1970s designed version, the Chantry Classic, has made to the collection of MoMA, New York, while in 2005 it was given a face lift by Sam Hecht to become the Chantry Modern. Slightly surprisingly, this means there's a style to fit every home. 

The Chantry retro model costs £25.86 from The Cooks Kitchen